The race for a COVID-19 vaccine reminded us of the importance of volunteer participation in health research and clinical trials. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, on track to be released to the public in the coming months, would not have been possible without the more than 73,000 thousand volunteers who participated.
Human volunteers are at the core of health research and make it possible to test potential new therapies for incurable diseases. All IN for Health is dedicated to helping Indiana residents find clinical study opportunities that could improve their health. If you are a resident of Indiana, you can take advantage of the state’s thriving research community, which offers plenty of volunteer opportunities to enroll in clinical research. Their goal is to recruit 100, 000 volunteers.
Before hitting the market, new drugs have to go through rigorous efficacy and safety testing in studies known as clinical trials. These studies involve human participants and are designed to tell us whether a particular treatment is safe and effective, and whether it causes unpleasant or dangerous side effects. If you decide to participate, you would be monitored by doctors for the duration of the study and you might even be compensated for your time. Participation is always voluntary and you can withdraw from the study at any time.
By participating in a clinical trial, you would be helping others find an effective treatment for their condition, or if you’re currently sick, you could be helping yourself get better. All IN for Health has already been successful matching volunteers to the appropriate studies. For instance, Colton Moore was diagnosed with X-linked hypophosphatemia, a disease that leads to soft and weak bones. He enrolled in a clinical trial to try an experimental drug that could improve bone formation and healing. The therapy greatly improved the health of his bones and he went from tripping over his own toes to running and roller skating. The experimental drug he tried, Burosumab, is now approved for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia.
Create an All IN for Health volunteer profile to learn more about the thousands of health research and clinical studies currently in progress in Indiana, from experimental treatments for COVID-19, cancer and neurological disorders, to new therapies for skin infections and experimental surgeries. If you are in good health, you can participate in trials that need healthy volunteers. Your completed profile allows researchers from Indiana University and their partnering institutions to contact you about their studies. You can also browse the full list of current clinical trials in need of volunteers and contact the researchers leading the studies that interest you. Your participation will help move science forward and get us closer to much needed new therapies.
